The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has refuted the reports that result sheets meant for the governorship election in Zamfara State had been hijacked by a particular political party.

Garba Galadima, the Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity of INEC in Zamfara State, gave the clarification in response to an enquiry by Daily Trust over an audio clip circulating in the state, alleging that INEC result sheets for the election which is going to hold on Saturday, March 9, had been tampered with.

Galadima described the allegations as “malicious and wicked”, adding that even INEC officials in the state have not seen the sensitive materials that would be used for the elections.

“Our attention has been drawn to a mischievous audio file recorded by one of the governorship candidates in the state that we gave result sheets for the governorship election to a particular party. What I want the people to understand is that the allegations are false,” Galadima stated.

“This is because all the sensitive materials for the election are intact at the CBN vaults. We, the INEC officials, have not even seen the materials yet.”

Galadima explained that INEC will invite all the stakeholders from the 14 local government areas in Zamfara State to deliver the materials to officials of the commission in the areas “in the presence of party representatives, security operatives and journalists”.

“We are calling all the governorship candidates to come and witness how these materials will be delivered so as to know whether the allegations against the commission is true or not.”

Governorship and state assemblies elections will take place in 29 out of the 36 states of the federation on March 9, while in the remaining seven states, only elections for state lawmakers will be held. The states include Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Ekiti, Kogi, Ondo, and Osun.